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Lead

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Enforcement

This section highlights effective dates for enforcement of the lead standard, directives (instruction to OSHA staff), and letters of interpretation (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to lead.

Effective Dates for Enforcement of the Lead Standard

General Industry

May 7, 1997 - The Court of Appeals lifted its stay on 29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1), and six years later (May 2003) all employers had to comply with all the requirements of the standard.

June 29, 1981 - The Supreme Court denied the petition and dissolved its 1980 stay, leaving the partial stay 29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1) imposed by the Court of Appeals on August 15. This meant that all the other provisions of this standard were in effect.

August 15, 1980 - The Court of Appeals issued its decision upholding the standard, lifting the stay except for 29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1) as it applied to certain industries.

December 8, 1980 - Pending the filing and disposition of industry's petitions for a review, the Supreme Court issued a stay of the same provisions that were issued in March 1979 by the Court of Appeals.

March 1, 1979 - The Court of Appeals stayed a number of the provisions including the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1025(i) for the consideration of new facilities and renovation of existing facilities, pending a full review.

November 14, 1978 - The standard was promulgated and immediately challenged by both industry and labor. All changes were consolidated in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Construction Industry

In 1993, Congress mandated the Lead in Construction standard to ensure that OSHA's lead regulations would be as protective of construction employees as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) lead guidelines and the OSHA lead standards for general industry.

In 1993, OSHA issued an interim final rule for lead in construction as a result of the Congressional mandate in Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992.

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